Frisco Tops Study of Best U.S. Cities for Kids

A ProCare Therapy study ranks the 100 biggest U.S. cities on childhood well-being, with Frisco, Texas leading and Detroit, Michigan last.

Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Child Care

Gouache-painted editorial illustration of a wooden ladder leaning against a cream wall, rungs rising to a single mustard accent, evoking a ranking of childhood conditions. — A ProCare Therapy study ranks Frisco, Texas first and Detroit, Michigan 100th among the nation's 100 biggest cities for childhood well-being. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you think your local government is doing enough to support children growing up?

ProCare Therapy published "Best U.S. Cities for Children to Thrive," ranking the country's 100 biggest cities across indicators including chronic absenteeism, child poverty, and park access. Frisco, Texas earned the top Childhood Well-being Score of 89.8 out of 100.

Why it matters

The rankings give parents and policymakers a side-by-side comparison of conditions affecting children, from school attendance and reading skills to poverty and environmental risks. The gap between top and bottom cities highlights how much local conditions vary across the country.

The study's composite score draws on absenteeism, poverty, lead exposure, reading proficiency, and park access across the 100 largest U.S. cities. Frisco's 89.8 score tops the list, while the study's full indicator weighting is not detailed in the available extraction.

The players

ProCare Therapy

ProCare Therapy is the organization that published the "Best U.S. Cities for Children to Thrive" study ranking childhood well-being across the country's largest cities.

The details

Frisco, Texas ranks first with a Childhood Well-being Score of 89.8, followed by Plano, Texas and Irvine, California. At the bottom, Cleveland, Ohio ranks 98th, Buffalo, New York 99th, and Detroit, Michigan 100th.

The study's rankings were published on November 1, 2026.

Roadmap

Rankings like this one compare cities on a shared set of childhood indicators, making regional differences in school attendance, poverty, and environmental risk easier to see side by side. The sharpest contrast in this study is between Texas and California at the top and Ohio, New York, and Michigan at the bottom.

Families weighing a move can use the indicators in this ranking, such as school absenteeism, reading proficiency, and park access, to compare daily conditions for children. The study's poverty and lead-exposure figures also flag differences that may affect health and schooling choices.

The takeaway

Parents comparing cities can weigh school attendance, reading proficiency, and park access alongside cost of living when evaluating where children are most likely to thrive. Looking at several indicators together gives a fuller picture than any single ranking.